Invisible Illness Week – starts today!

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That’s right, today is the first day of Invisible Illness Week, uniting people all over the world who deal with chronic illness, like MS, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, migraine (hey! that’s me!), heart disease, fibromyalgia, etc etc.  Let me post this press release so you can find out more about it and be involved…

Invisible Illness Week Offers Free Online Seminars Regarding College and Career

CONTACT: Lisa Copen, 858-486-4685 (voice mail)

SAN DIEGO — SEPT 2008 — When you are diagnosed with a chronic illness it can be easy to assume that your education or career will soon take a nose dive.  With the increasing technology, however, and options outside of traditional employment or education, your dreams don’t have to be put aside.  With nearly one in two people living with chronic illness in the USA, millions are learning how to find a professional path, despite their diagnosis.

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is September 8-14, and Monday through Friday is a live virtual conference, featuring twenty seminars via Blog Talk Radio at www.invisibleillness.com. Special guests will give a 30-minute presentation and then take questions from callers. Leading professionals in the field will speak on the following topics:

  • "College with Chronic Illness: How to Get Help and Respect from Administrators and Faculty" will be presented by Dr. Lynn Royster, the Director of the Chronic Illness Initiative at DePaul University’s School for New Learning, a unique program designed to help chronically ill students obtain a college education. Regardless of your age you will want to attend this to also hear about DePaul University’s program that allows you to attend college from the comfort of your home computer, and earn a real degree.
  • "Assess Yourself: Find the Job You Desire and Can Do Despite Illness Limitations" will be the topic by Rosalind Joffe, author of the new book, Women Work and Autoimmune Disease: Keep Working, Girlfriend! Rosalind, who has lived over thirty years with various illnesses, including multiple sclerosis, found her career as a coach for people who live with chronic illness.  Her business, cicoach.com, can do the same for others who want to thrive in their work, despite their illness.
  • "How to Get Paid to Blog" will be presented by Connie Roberts.  Connie writes three blogs, co-authors two blogs, and works for various companies as a sub-contractor doing paid reviews.  One of her blogs is called "My Chronic Life."  She will teach people with chronic illness how they can earn an income by working from home as a blogger.

See dates and times at www.invisibleillness.com for all seminars, which will be recorded and archived.  Many guests have donated free items or services, which will be given away in prize drawings.  Bloggers are invited to participate by blogging on invisible illness topics September 8, 2008 to kick off the week and to download the "I’m blogging for Invisible Illness Awareness" badge from www.invisbleillnessblog.com.

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week was launched in 2002 by Lisa Copen, author of "Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend."  It is held annually in September and is sponsored by Rest Ministries, Inc.  This year’s co-sponsor for the event is Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness.

A bonus note: Many missionaries deal with invisible illness. Check out these posts from around the world.